Kolkata, July 9 -- In a political crossover and a development that had long been speculated, hours after formally joining the BJP, former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha members - Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Prakash Chik Baraik were named as the BJP's candidates for the upcoming bypoll elections for Rajya Sabha.
The three leaders joined the BJP weeks after resigning from the Rajya Sabha and quitting the TMC amid growing dissent within the party. Welcoming them with BJP flags, state president Samik Bhattacharya said their vast parliamentary and political experience would strengthen the party.
"In this changed political situation, three distinguished Members of the Rajya Sabha-Shri Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Smt. Sushmita Dev and Shri Prakash Chik Baraik-have resigned from their membership of the Rajya Sabha and are formally joining the BJP today," Bhattacharya stated.
He added: "Their role in the Rajya Sabha, their political experience and their contribution to public life are well known. There is no need to introduce them afresh. Their decision proves that, in the changed political situation of West Bengal, people's confidence in the leadership of the BJP is becoming increasingly stronger. After years of neglect, deprivation, apathy and oppression, the people of West Bengal have voted for change."
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has announced that voting for the three Rajya Sabha bypolls will be held on July 24, with counting scheduled for the same evening. The resignations of the three leaders created vacancies in the Rajya Sabha, prompting the poll body to announce bypolls. BJP is eyeing to win all three seats after the party won the Bengal Assembly polls.
The Opposition's combined numbers would have been sufficient to secure one of the three Rajya Sabha seats.
However, the situation changed dramatically after the Trinamool split into rival factions led by former chief minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee. According to current estimates, around 65 MLAs are aligned with the Ritabrata Banerjee faction, while roughly 15 legislators continue to support the Mamata Banerjee camp.
Reacting to the development, TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh, who aligns with the Mamata Banerjee faction of TMC, said the party had given Ray political opportunities that he did not receive before joining the TMC.
"Everyone knows that Sukhendu Sekhar, who is a senior leader, prior to 2011, never became MP or MLA. Respecting him, Mamata Banerjee sent him to the Rajya Sabha. Today, he joined the BJP. They did not leave when Mamata Banerjee was the CM. The public is seeing everything," Ghosh said.
Interestingly, all three leaders had been vocal critics of the BJP until recently, campaigning aggressively against the party during the Assembly elections. Dev, in particular, had frequently targeted the BJP and had even alleged that BJP workers were behind attacks on her convoy during the campaign.
In a parallel political development, Berhampore MP Yusuf Pathan, who recently joined the National Citizens Party of India (NCPI), met Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna on Thursday.
Another Trinamool MP, Shatabdi Roy, is also believed to be weighing her political options, fuelling speculation over more possible defections from the party.ebel group also went to Nabanna on Thursday.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.